KWI COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOSICATION (KCDA),RIYOM LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF PLATEAU STATE
Date:26/4/2016
The Commander of Operation Safe Haven,
The Headquarters of Operation Safe Haven,
Jos, Plateau State.
Sir,
MATTER OF URGENCY AND CONCERN!!!
A CALL FOR RELEASE OF 17 LOCALS ARRESTED BY MILITARY PERSONNEL OF OPERATION SAFE HAVEN IN KWI COMMUNITY OF RIYOM LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, PLATEAU STATE
The above subject matter referred to wherein it is petitioned for and on behalf of 17 locals of Kwi Community of Riyom Local Government Area one of whom is from Tapo Community of Heipang District, Barkin Ladi LGA of Plateau State who were arrested by your personnel in Kwi Community on Sunday 21st April, 2019. It is hereby stated as follows:
- It is a known fact that Kwi community has been subjected to a theatre of incessant attacks by armed Fulani herdsmen for over a decade. As a result, Government, in its wisdom and primary responsibility of protecting lives and property, deployed security agents there to protect the area/locals from any further aggression.
- Undoubtedly, the Community has obviously cooperated with the Security agents in all ramifications provided by law until 21st day of April, 2019 when an ambush was carried out on two locals of Tapo hamlet of Heipang District by suspected Fulani herdsmen at about 8:00pm or thereabout along Kwi-Heipang road leading to the gruesome murder of Mr. Dauda Yakubu Rwang while Mr. Yakubu Chuwang Bot narrowly escaped into a nearby forest.
- At the escapee’s hideout, he called vigilante of Kwi community through phone for speedy rescue mission, and the Vigilante alongside some locals swung into action by rushing to the scene of the incident after security agents were immediately informed.
- On getting to the scene, the attackers/assailants had already fled but Mr. Dauda Yakubu Rwang was found dead as a result of many cuts sustained from the attack suspected to be Matchet/Knife cuts.
- While the vigilante in company of other locals were still at the scene of the incident waiting for Military presence for possible evacuation of the dead person, personnel of Operation Safe Haven stationed in Kwi later on arrived the scene of the incident about One and half hour after the tragic development.
- On arrival of the Security agents, they ordered that everybody should lie down after which the 17 locals and or/vigilante were arrested and are currently under the detention of Operation Safe Haven leaving behind the dead body of Mr. Dauda Yakubu Rwang unattended.
- It is pertinent to note herein that the Personnel of Operation Safe Haven revisited the scene of the incident on 22nd day of April, 2019, evacuated and handed over the dead body of the deceased person to the Tapo community for burial.
- Following the arrest of the 17 Vigilante and /or locals who went on the rescue mission, Kwi Community has made frantic efforts to ascertain the rationale behind the arrest and continued detention of the 17 persons by the Operation Safe Haven but has not yielded any result.
- The names of the people arrested are as follow:
i. Dauda Labi
ii. Dung Davou J.
iii. Obadiah James
iv. Elisha Yakubu
v. Thomas Yakubu
vi. Irmiya Yakubu
vii. Bot Bulus
viii. Timothy Sunday
ix. Emmanuel Bulus
x. Davou Ezekiel
xi. Shedrack Danjuma
xii. Bot Davou
xiii. Dalyop Davou
xiv. Gyang Dalyop
xv. Amos Sunday
xvi. Benjamin Bawa
xvii. Samuel Dung
- Perplexingly, on Wednesday 24th day of April, 2019, the Operation Safe Haven’s Unit in Kwi unceremoniously left their base without any information to the Community leadership, thereby exposing the vulnerable community into possible terror attacks/aggressions.
Following the aforementioned trends, it is therefore requested as follows:
a. Release of all the above named persons arrested and currently detained by Operation Safe Haven, for such continued incarceration is a flagrant violation of their fundamental rights as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
b. The return of the withdrawn Unit of Operation Safe Haven to Kwi Community having been identified as a security flash point.
c. The return of all the Motorcycles and other items carted away by the Security agents during the arrest of the affected persons.
Be assured of our esteemed cooperation in furtherance of not only cordial relationship but also peaceful coexistence as we are known for.
Attached hereto is a copy of pictures of the 17 persons under detention of Operation Safe Haven.
Yours faithfully,
Mr. Iliya Davou Gyang 080-21-2561-18
Mr. Ezekiel Tok 080-60-0813-05
Chairman, Kwi Community Development Association Secretary, Kwi Community Development Association
Hon. Mafeng David Dell 070-34-2663-80
Transition Committee Councilor of Kwi
Hon. Davou Mang 080-37-0903-12 Dr. Dauda Gyemang 080-34-5181-69
Stakeholder, Kwi Community Stakeholder, Kwi Community
Adamu Dalyop (DSP rtd) 080-36-2860-71 Mr. Dung Tabari 080-29-5979-19
Stakeholder, Kwi Community Youth Leader, Kwi Community
CC:
1. The Commander of Sector 9,
Operation Safe Haven, Riyom
2. The Commissioner of Police,
Police Headquarters, Plateau State
3. The Director of State Security Services. Plateau State.
4. His Majesty, the Gbong Gwom Jos and Chairman Plateau State Joint Traditional Council.
5. The Distinguished Senator representing Plateau-North, National Assembly, Abuja.
6. The Hon. Member representing Riyom/Barkin Ladi Federal Constituency, National Assembly, Abuja.
7. Hon. Member representing Riyom LGA and Minority Leader, Plateau State House of Assembly.
8. The Plateau State Commandant, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp.
9. The Permanent Secretary on Security,
Plateau State.
10. The Coordinator of Operation Rainbow, Plateau State Headquarters.
11. The Transition Committee Chairman, Riyom Local Government Area.
12. The Dagwom Rwey of Riyom District.
13. The Divisional Police Officer of Riyom.
14. The Officer in charge of DSS, Riyom LGA
15. Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp, Riyom LGA
16. The Chairman of Nigerian Bar Association,
Plateau State Chapter.
17. The Chairman of Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria (CLASFON), Plateau State Branch.
18. The Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Riyom LGA
19. The National President of Berom Education and Cultural Organization
20. The National Chairman of Berom Elders’ Forum (BEF)
21. The National President of Berom Women’s Development Association.
22. The President of Berom Youth Moulders-Association
23. The President of Berom Ministrers’ Forum(BEMFO).
24. Emancipation Centre for Crisis Victims in Nigeria (ECCVN)